Legislature Adopts $140.1 Million Budget



The Putnam Legislature adopted its 2013 budget Thursday evening following three and one half weeks of discussion and debate. The fiscal spending plan totaling $140,122,860 is 1.76 percent higher than the current budget and one quarter of one percent less than the executive spending plan proposed by County Executive MaryEllen Odell. The lawmakers restored $675,000 allowing for a full Putnam […]

Devastation as Killer Storm Thrashes Putnam

UPDATED with Friday AM Assessment

TRANSIT UPDATE as of 10:30 a.m. Friday: One of Metro-North’s two train lines through Putnam is now close to fully operational again.Trains on the Harlem line are now running through Southeast. Service had resumed as far as Mt. Kisco earlier on Thursday.Service on the Hudson line, with stops in Cold Spring and Garrison, has not fully resumed, however. Gov. Andrew […]

Brewster to Celebrate Grand Central’s 100th Anniversary



Railroading has been a part of Brewster for generations. Metro North realizes that fact and last week announced that Brewster would become an integral part of next year’s 100th anniversary celebration of Grand Central Station. One stop on each of the railroad’s three divisions was selected. While Brewster will represent the Harlem Line, Yonkers was chosen for the Hudson Division […]

Brewster Receives $7,500 Greenway Grant for Main Street Study



The Village of Brewster is on the move. Village officials learned last week that the Hudson River Greenway Council awarded Brewster with a $7,500 grant–one of only five in the entire state–to develop a Main Street study. Mayor James Schoenig said the village would be partnering with the non-for-profit Pattern for Progress by conducting an analysis of existing conditions of […]

Bonjour Carmel, French Exchange Students Return Home



A dozen high school students from Marseilles return to France Friday following a two week long educational experience in Carmel. The 16 and 17 year olds have been attending Carmel High School while residing with local families in the school district. The group’s chaperone and teacher Annie Gouin commended the entire school community for its warm welcome: “The experience has […]

Police News



Vehicle vandalism in Southeast- Brewster area under investigation Brewster State Police and the Putnam Sheriff’s Department are investigating numerous cases of vehicle vandalism in the greater Brewster-Southeast area. Cars, SUVs and pick-up trucks parked in residential areas of the town were damaged last weekend when individuals smashed windows and ransacked the interiors of vehicles. Authorities said several victims also reported […]

Sifting Through the Sands of Time

87 Years Ago Oct.30, 1925

West Haven People Taken From Auto By One-Armed World War Veteran Imprisoned inside their car by the side curtains, when it plunged into Tilly Foster reservoir, on the BrewsterCarmel road, Tuesday afternoon, four West Haven residents were rescued from drowning through the heroic efforts of Ralph Destin, a onearmed war veteran of Brewster. Destin, the first Brewster youth to be […]

Word of the Week



en•vi•sage to view or regard in a certain way

Howard ‘John’ Churchil



Howard “John” Churchill, 61, of 66 Noyes Road, died at his Tilton, New Hampshire, home on Wednesday, October 24, 2012. Mr. Churchill was born December 18, 1950, in Yonkers, the son of Howard and Rose (Lynch) Churchill. Mr. Churchill served in the U. S. Navy. He had been a mechanical engineer for thirty years and had been employed at Mercury […]

Jac k Baumler



Jack Baumler, son of Eric and Valerie Baumler of North Salem NY, Brother to William departed this world on October 29, 2012. He was 11 years old. Jack was a sixth grader at North Salem Middle School; he was an avid allstar baseball player and loved by all who were blessed to know him. He pitched for the North Salem […]